Method for field upgrading of air cooling capacity

Abstract

A method and apparatus which provide field upgradability of an electrical system's air cooling capacity. In particular, air-moving devices are disposed in an external enclosure which is mated with a base unit in such a way as to convert one of the base unit's exhaust ports to an added inlet port. Accordingly, thermal upgradability in the field is easily provided by removing lower capacity interior blowers, by providing and using an access port into the middle of the old air flow path and by attaching an exterior unit having increased air moving capacity.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for upgrading the cooling capacity of an electrical system, said method comprising the steps of: removing at least one internal air-moving device from a cabinet which possesses an internal air flow path which includes sequentially: an air inlet port, space between a first set of printed circuit cards disposed within said cabinet, said at least one air-moving device, space between a second set of printed circuit cards disposed within said cabinet and an exhaust port;   providing an access port to said air flow path at a point along said air flow path downstream of said at least one air moving device and upstream of said second set of printed circuit cards;   connecting to said access port an exterior enclosure having at least one air-moving device disposed therein, said enclosure having its own exterior air flow path terminating in an exterior exhaust port, said connection providing a new air flow communication path in which said inlet and exhaust ports both become operable as air inlet ports and in which said exterior exhaust port in said enclosure is capable of exhausting air driven by said air-moving device in said enclosure to said exterior exhaust port in said enclosure.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 in which providing said access port is accomplished by replacing the cabinet with one having an access opening therein. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 in which providing said access port is accomplished by replacing a panel in said cabinet with one that already includes an access opening. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 in which providing said access port is accomplished by removing a pre-existing door from a panel in said cabinet. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 in which providing said access port is accomplished by cutting a hole in said cabinet. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 in which said exterior enclosure includes at least two air-moving devices. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1 in which said exterior enclosure includes at least two air-moving devices arranged serially in said air flow path in said enclosure. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1 in which said enclosure includes noise deadening material. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1 in which said air-moving devices are blowers.